Restructuring of the United States Army

I deliberately do not have subpages on this article, because the title is going to change. BCT covers only part of the US Army reorganization, and I'm checking with experts to find the more general term. Howard C. Berkowitz 18:24, 29 July 2008 (CDT)

Reflecting increases in technical capability, the U.S. Army is converting from a structure in which the division was the basic "unit of action", to a system where the unit of action is the Brigade Combat Team (BCT). Besides the core combat units, a number of combat support and combat service support are moving to a brigade structure. in which the Brigade Combat Team, rather than the division, is the basic unit capable of independent action (with suitable reinforcements).

Higher headquarters remain, and are called "units of employment". These were to correspond to corps and field armies, but that has not been entirely workable. The assumption was that a numbered army was either an administrative headquarters in the U.S., or the army component (i.e., headed by a three-star officer) within a Joint Combatant Command headed by a four-star. For a time, the senior U.S. headquarters in Iraq was Multinational Corps-Iraq (MNC-I), built around a U.S. corps headquarters, but it seemed wise, especially after Abu Ghraib, to let the corps focus on operations and to create Multinational Force-Iraq headed by a four-star, still having a three-star in CENTCOM.

Combat BCTs

The main Army combat units are built around a core of infantry.

Infantry

Current infantry, however, have increasingly sophisticated weapons, command and control and sensors, and are intended to operate in combined arms operations. All BCT types have vastly more intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and target acquisition than ever before deployed to this level; see Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition Squadron and Military Intelligence Company formations for each BCT.

The three main types of BCT are:

• Infantry BCT: lightest and most easily transportable. Depending on unit training and equipment, may conduct foot-mobile, motorized, heliborne, and parachute operations
• Stryker BCT: organized around the Stryker vehicle system family of medium-weight vehicles, armored against light weapons and extremely maneuverable on the ground
• Heavy BCT: armored forces built around tank and infantry in infantry fighting vehicles.

Fires brigades

Fires brigades recognize that "fires" has been redefined to include "non-kinetic" means of combat, such as information operations including electronic warfare and psychological warfare. These brigades are made up of a combination of former Division Artillery (DIVARTY) commands, plus various resources typically assigned to a corps headquarters. Ten such brigades are planned.

There are units that engage in combat, but are not considered part of the mission either of the Fires Brigade, or the artillery organic to BCTs. Air defense (i.e., anti-air warfare) is considered part of the functions of the Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, in the sense that engineer support to cross a river, intercepting or jamming missiles, and decontaminating chemicals all are prerequisites to BCTs being able to maneuver.

Some of the functions previously under DIVARTY, such as direct cannon support, moved to the BCT level. A fires brigade was more focused planning and execution for joint fire support operations. Its capabilities to affect the enemy emphasized newer systems to carry out precision-strikes, counterstrikes and shaping, which utilized lethal and non-lethal means

In the new system, the role of close fire support would fall to the artillery units assigned to the maneuver brigade combat teams. No longer was it necessary to assign an artillery battalion per brigade as well as having DIVARTY headquarters.

While the infantry brigade was classically task-organized, BCTs are more standardized. brigade headquarters, support and maintenance, a target acquisition battery and a Multiple Launch Rocket System battalion as its permanent elements.

The headquarters routinely contained a Marine officer, Air Force personnel, and sections for space command, information operations, psychological operations, civil affairs and a fires and effects cell.

Additional missile, gun, and other kinetic and nonkinetic fires units would be assigned as needed, as well as the coordination of Navy and Air Force fire support.

Sustainment Brigade

At a level above Brigade, the Army is changing from "a supply-based to a distribution-based logistics system, theater distribution focuses on an end-to-end capability to deliver materiel readiness from source of supply to point of use. The cornerstone of successful theater distribution is the merging of materiel management functions with movement management functions under a theater distribution brigade", belonging to the higher headquarters (corps or other Unit of Employment).

Sustainment Brigades have a main body that carries out theater-level tasks, with appropriate augmentation. These Brigades also provide the rear-area services needed for the Forward Support Battalions (FSB) attached to each BCT. The FSB reports to the BCT commander, but gets support from the rear-area battalions and brigade headquarters of the SB.

Just as Fires Brigades replace the former DIVARTY, Sustainment Brigades replace Division Support Commands (DISCOM). As an example, the 1st Sustainment Brigade, formerly the support command for the 1st Infantry Division, is a headquarters over a Special Troops Battalion, as well as a Combat Sustainment Support Battalion.

The Sustainment Brigades will control both forward and regular support units. For example, The nucleus of the 782d Main Support Battalion, part of the Sustainment Brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division, coming from various battalions, made up

• a light maintenance company
• a heavy maintenance company
• supply company
• transportation company
• aerial delivery company
• calibration detachment
• graves registration detachment
• arid environment detachment

A Forward Support Battalion attaches to each BCT, and provides, at that level, administrative, finance, legal, medical, maintenance, and supply services.

Special Troops Battalion

Special Troops battalion with Transportation and Signal (i.e., communications) units

Combat Sustainment Support

The battalion is comprised of six separate units. The units include 1st Maintenance Company (which includes 95th TMDE), 24th Transportation Company (which includes 2nd Heavy Truck Platoon, 2nd Transportation Company), 172nd Chemical Company (Smoke), 774th Ordnance Company (EOD), and Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 541st CSSB. Each unit is a non-divisional asset with its own unique mission. Each of these units provides daily mission support to the installation, while maintaining a high state of readiness for deployment.

Maneuver Enhancement Brigade=

"This support brigade will enhance the full dimensional protection and freedom of maneuver of supported Army, joint, or multinational headquarters across the full range of military operations. During major combat operations, the brigade could oversee river crossings, protect forces and critical infrastructure, and reinforce brigade combat teams with tailored engineer, military police, air/missile defense, chemical, or other supporting capabilities."